Locks



y 1966 J. F. WELLEKENS 3,260,080

LOCKS Filed March 26, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.1. '2

INVENTOR.

I John F WeLLekens July 12, 1966 J. F. WELLEKENS LOCKS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed March 26, 1964 INVENTOR. John FWeLLekens y 1966 J. F. WELLEKENS3,260,080

LOCKS Filed March 26, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

John EWeLLekens 6'6 difomg/ United States Patent 3,260,080 LOCKS John F.Wellekens, New York, N.Y., assignor to Hotel Security SystemsCorporation, New York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 26,1964*, Ser. No. 355,011 11 Claims. (Cl. 70-364) This invention relatesto locks, .and more particularly to a type of lock so constructed thatthe arrangement of tumbler-engaging abutments can be changed whendesired to thereby adapt the lock for the acceptance ofdifferently-contoured keys. Locks of this nature are shown for examplein my Patent No. 2,970,466 and in my co-pending applications Serial Nos.254,104 and 104,- 588, now Patents 3,143,875 and 3,130,572 respectively.

The advantages of being able to quickly change the combination of a lockare numerous and readily apparent since the prevention of theft canoften be done by a change of the combination of the lock andparticularly when it can be done speedily and with a minimum of effort.

It is therefore one of the objects of the invention to provide a lock inwhich the combination can be readily changed to enable the lock to beresponsive to any one of a large number of differently-contoured keys.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means, in a lock ofthis kind, by which picking of the lock will be prevented.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I havedevised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularlypointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a lock constructed accordingto the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 22 of FIG.1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a face view of the front abutment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG.3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a face view of one of the abutments, a number of which areemployed in the lock;

FIG. 6 is an edge view of the abutment of FIG. 5 as seen from the rightof FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 77 of FIG.5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the lock;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the plug;

FIG. 10 is an end view of the plug as seen from the right of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view through the rear part of the lock, showingthe coupling for the linkage of the boltoperating means;

FIG. 12 is a face view of the disk which is mounted on the plug andwhich attaches to the outer casing of the lock by means of a C-ring;

FIG. 13 shows a type of key for use with the lock;

FIG. 14 is a face View of the rear closure plug for the casing;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lock, and

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a part of the protective channel strip.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the cylinder or outer casing ofthe lock, the same being formed near one end, or that at the rear of thelock, with an annular groove 2 within which a C-ring 3 is located, theends of the C-ring ment.

, azeaese Patented July 12, 1966 shown at 3, entering through holes 5 inthe casing 1, to engage with an annular groove 6 formed in a disk 7,located within the casing and fitted on the end 8 of the lock plug 9.Said end 8 of the plug is of non-round formation, or is provided withone or more flat surfaces 10, as seen in FIG. 9. The disk 7 is providedwith a central opening 11 conforming in shape to the part 8 of the plug,thus the disk will turn with the plug when the same is rotatively movedby the use of the required key, an example of which is shown in FIG. 13.

The disk 7 is held on the end of the plug by a retaining ring 14 whichengages a groove 15 (FIG. 9) in the plug. The above-describedarrangement is such that the plug, with the disk 7 carried by it andtogether with other elements also carried by the plug and to bedescribed presently, can be axially withdrawn from within the casing 1by the removal of the C-n'ng for the adjustment of the lock parts toadapt the lock for the acceptance of a new key.

The disk 7 is provided on its rear face with projections or dogs 16which engage or interfit with the elements 17 provided on a rear closureplug 18 that fits in and closes the rear end of the casing 1. Thisarrangement is such as to couple the disk 7 and the closure plug 18together, so that when the plug 9 and the disk 7 are rotatively moved bythe use of the proper key, the closure plug 18 will also be moved. Saidplug 18 is formed with an annular groove 19, receiving a retaining ring20 which holds the closure plug against axial movement but permits itsrotative movement. A rearwardly-extending threaded stud 21 is formed onthe closure plug 18, which stud can, if desired be non-round or formedwith at least one flat surface 22 as shown in FIG. 1 and indicated indotted lines in FIG. 14. The stud 21 is adapted for connection in anysuitable manner to the bolt-mechanism so that by the rotative movementof the stud the bolt will be advanced or retracted in the known manner.

The lock plug 9, shown in detail in FIGS. 9 and 10 is provided at itsforward end with a circular head 23, closely fitting the inner shape ofthe casing 1 and closing its forward end. Extending axially through theplug is a key slot 24 of the cross-sectional shape clearly seen in FIG.10, for the reception of a key similar to that shown in FIG. 13.Extending transversely through the plug 9 and across the key slottherein, are spaced slots 25 each of which slidably receives awafer-type tumbler 26 of the shape clearly seen in FIG. 15. Each ofthese tumblers is provided with a central aperture 27 through which thekey passes on its insertion into the lock. At each end of the tumblerthere is provided a tab or lug 28. Fitted around the outside of the plug9 are tumbler-receiving abutments. One of these abutments is shown at29, the same constituting a locking abutment, and the remainder of theabutments are of the form shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 and indicated at 30.

The abutment 29 is located at the forward end of the lock and behind thehead 23 of the plug 9 as will be apparent from FIG. I. Said abutment isprovided with a recess 31 into which one of the tabs or lugs 28 on oneof the tumblers can enter. The abutment 29 is also provided with anarcuate groove 32 defining by its degree limits, the extent of rotativemovement of the plug 9 for locking and unlocking purposes. In FIG. 2 oneof the wafer-type tumblers 26a is shown in its lowered position, withone of its tabs o-r lugs 28 disposed in the groove 32.

Provided in the peripheral edge of the abutment 29 is a notch 33 forengagement with an axially-extending rib 34 (FIG. 2) provided on theinterior wall surface of the casing 1, such interengagement of the notch33 with the rib 34 holding the abutment 29 against rotative move- Eachof the abutments 29 and 30 has a central circular opening 35 throughwhich the plug 9 extends and this arrangement permits the rotation ofthe plug within the abutments by key operation.

The abutments 30 are each provided with a number of uniformly-spacedperipheral notches, four of the same being shown respectively at 36, 37,38 and 39. These notches are adapted for selective engagement with therib 34 to hold the abutments in non-rotative positions as selected for aspecific combination. The abutments 30 each have a central depression 40surrounded by the wall 41. A tumbler is located in said depression andthe wall 41 has its inner surface formed with tangential curved surfaces42 which terminate respectively in the shoulders 43, 44, 45 and 46.These shoulders vary in depth as will be apparent from FIGS. 5 and 15.Each of the notches 36 to 39 is designated by indicia provided on theperiphery of the abtuments. That is to say, notch 36 is indicated by asingle transverse groove shown at 47; notch 39 is indicated by twogrooves 48; notch 37 is indicated by three grooves 49, andnotch 38 isindicated by the four grooves 50. Other suitable identifying markingsmight be used. The purpose of these markings is to indicate thepositions of the several abutments in relation to one another to form aselected specific combination for the lock.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing, the tumblers are arranged as they appear whena key, such as shown in FIG. 13, and designated at 13, is used, thetumblers in the position shown, being then free to turn and thus rotatethe plug 9 to operate the bolt mechanism connected to the stud 21. Whenthe key 13 is entered into the key slot 24 the first tumbler, or thatindicated at 26a will drop down as shown in FIG. 2 to enter the notch 60in the key 13, so that the tab or lug 28 on the tumbler will entergroove 32 in abutment 29 and thus the rotative movement of the plug willbe limited to the exent permitted by the groove 32. By the use of thekey, the several tumblers will be so positioned that they will be freeof engagement with the parts of the abutments which prevent turning ofthe tumblers and hence the plug will be rotated.

When it is desired to change the combination of the lock to render theprevailing key ineffective and to adapt the lock to a key of a differentcontour, the C-ring 3 is removed, thus freeing the disk 7 and enablingthe plug 9 carrying said disk as well as the abutments and theirassociated tumblers, to be withdrawn axially out through the forward endof the casing 1. With the key then out of the key slot 24, the variousabutments can be rotatively adjusted around the plug and caused tooccupy different positions thereon. The markings 47, 48, 49 and 50 canbe aligned in different sequences to indicate the axial alignment of theseveral notches in the edges of the various abutments and the engagementof said selected notches with the rib 34. That is to say for example,the notch 37 on one abutment can be aligned with the notch 39 on thenext abtument; notch 38 might be aligned with notch 36 on the followingabutment and so on. By this means the several abtuments can be arrangedin various sequences to provide many different combinations. After theabutments are arranged as above described, and a new combination is thusprovided, the plug and its associated elements, are slid back into thecasing 1, with the then-aligned edge notches on the abutments engagingthe notch-fitting rib 34 to thereby maintain the abutments innon-rotative positions in the casing. A suitably-identified key havingthe required conformation to engage and properly position the tumblersto permit their rotation relatively to their abutments, is then used tooperate the lock until it is again desired to change the combination ofthe lock by following the procedure herein set forth. When the tumblersare positioned by the insertion of the required key, they can be movedthrough the areas defined by the tangential surfaces 42 on the tumblers,the tumbler 26a having its stop lug moved through groove 32.

In FIG. 12 of the drawings, it will be noted that the disk 7 is formedwith a peripheral notch 70. The purpose of this notch is to enable thedisk 7 to clear the rib 34 when the plug 9, carrying the disk 7, is slidinto the casing from the front of the same. In order for the disk 7 torotate along with the plug 9, during operation of the lock, the notch 70becomes located beyond the rear end of the rib 34 when the disk 7reaches home or in the position shown in FIG. 1 in the casing so thatthe notch is then no longer engaged with the rib.

When the several abutments are set for any one of the many number ofcombinations possible, it will be apparent that the various shoulders 43to 46 will be adjacent to one another and in the particular mannerarranged by the rotative adjusting movement of the abutments. Thus, thespecific key selected must be one which will be so contoured or notchedthat when it is inserted in the key slot it will enablethe tumblers inthe arranged sequence to drop into the notches of the key and when thatis done it will be found that each tumbler can be rotated and that whenthey are rotatable as above mentioned, they will clear the shoulders ontheir respective abutments and thus permit the rotative movement of theplug 9 and hence the operation of the bolt-controlling mechanismconnected thereto.

In FIGS. 15 and 16 is shown a guard or protective means applicable tothe present lock and possibly to other locks and by means of which thepicking of the lock is hampered or prevented altogether.

In this arrangement the key slot 24 is so shaped that it accommodateswithin it a channel-shaped metallic strip 65 which extends for thelength of that part of the plug 9 on which the abutments are located.Said channel-shaped strip is retained in place by the engagement of itslongitudinal ribs or beads 66 with the grooves 67 provided in the keyslot 24 as shown in FIG. 10. In FIG. 15 the tumbler 26 is shown in itscentral position or that in which it is free to rotate, but in itsnormal or operative position it is lowered, or in the position of thetumbler shown at 26a in FIG. 2, in which position the lower lug or tab28 is located in the groove 32. In this lowered position the edge 72(FIG. 15) of the central aperture in the tumbler contacts with the topflange of the protector or guard strip 65 so that little or no spaceexists between this part of the tumbler and the top of the key slot sothat a slender insrument then inserted or attempted to be insertedthrough the top part of the key slot in an effort to reach therespective tumblers and ascertain their positions and thus determine thecombination of the lock, will be prevented from doing so.

As indicated by the line 75 in FIG. 15, the tumbler 26 can be set at aslight inclination of approximately three degrees, this arrangementbeing effective to provide a look ing result for the first tumbler.

To evaluate the offsetting of the first or locking tumbler approximately3 degrees and to evaluate the feature of having the tumbler in a fullylowered position before the lock plug 9 (FIG. 9) can be rotated, it isdesirable to understand how a conventional lock is usually picked. Suchlock is usually picked by the insertion of a small tool or instrument inthe keyway in order to exert a slight but constant rotational pressureon the plug of the lock so that the lugs on the tumblers or wafers willcome into contact with the shoulders of their respective abutments.After this has been done, a small instrument generally known as a pickand resembling a dental probe, is inserted in the upper part of thekeyway and the edges 72 of the tumblers (FIG. 2) are racked or pressedup one at a time until each has cleared its respective abutmentshoulder.

In the structure of the present invention, rotational pressure can beapplied to the plug and the first or locking tumbler might be lifted bya pick, but the instant that this is done the upper lug of the tumbler26d in FIG. 2 enters the recess 31 and the plug is prevented fromturning the necessary 3 to 5 degrees to bring the lugs 28 of all of theworking tumblers 26 in FIG. 15 into contact with their respectiveabutments, or the shoulders 44 thereon, so that racking or lifting thetumbler edges is of no avail to get the tum-blers past the abutments.

If the first or locking tumbler 26a is left in the fully forwardposition as shown in FIG. 2, the plug can be rotated the required 3 to 5degrees necessary to bring the lugs on the remaining tumblers intocontact with the abutment shoulders but with the first tumbler in thisforward position there remains only the space of approximately onethirty-second of an inch through which to insert a pick. This is usuallyinsufiicient to permit the required manipulation of the pick.

As above pointed out, since the picking of the lock requires the liftingof the tumblers one at a time and by the engagement of a pick under theedge 72 of each of the tumblers, the lining of the key slot by a guideof channel-shape as shown at 65 materially limits the space in which thepick can be inserted to reach and manipulate the tum-blers so that as aresult the picking of the lock is greatly impeded.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that a lock is provided in whichthe combination can be readily changed by the rotative adjustment of theabutments and by which closure or blocking of the key slot and tumblerslots is attained in a manner to prevent the insertion of a lockpickingtool.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it isobvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broadenough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexedclaims.

What I claim is:

1. A lock having a cylindrical casing, a plug mounted for rotativemovement in the casing, the plug having transverse slots, a plurality ofwafer-type tumblers slidable through the slots, an abutment associatedwith each of the tumblers, the abutments each having a central openingthrough which the plug extends, an inwardlyextending projection on theinterior of the casing, each abutment having a plurality of peripheralnotches for engagement with said projection whereby the severalabutments may be rotatively arranged on the plug in different positions,and notches on the interior of the abutments for engagement with partsof the tumblers to prevent rotative movement of the plug when a key ofproper contour is not in the lock.

2. In a lock, a casing, a rotative plug therein, wafertype tumblersextending through the plug, abutments fitted around the plug andembracing the tumblers, the abutments being rotative around the plug toadjust their positions relative to one another while the plug with theabutments and tumblers thereon are out of the casing, means in thecasing for engaging the abutments to hold the same in their rotativelyadjusted position and against rotative movement while they are containedwithin the casing, the abutments having identifying indicia to indicatetheir re spective relative positions, and the means which holds theabutments against rotative movement while in the casing being a rib onthe inner surface of the casing and each of the abutments having severalperipheral notches for selective engagement with the rib.

3. In a lock, a casing, a plug disposed axially within the casing androtative therein, a plurality of cup-shaped tumbler abutments encirclingthe plug, each of said abutments having a plurality of notches in itsperiphery, a rib on the interior of the casing with which one or theother of the notches on the several abutments can be engaged to hold theabutments against rotation and in selected relative positions while theyare located in the casing, a plurality of tumblers slidable transverselythrough the plug, one of the tumblers being associated with each of theabutments and arranged for engagement therewith but ldisengageable bythe insertion of a key of proper contour in the lock, the severalabutments being adapted for rotative adjustment around the plug whilethe plug and the abutments carried by it are out of the casing, tothereby adapt the tumblers for responsiveness to a key of differentcontour, and identifying means borne by each abutment to disclose thecontour of the key required to arrange the tumblers for the freerotation of the same in the adjusted positions of the abutments.

4. In a lock as provided for in claim 3, wherein some of the abutmentsare each provided with a central opening through which the plug extends,said opening being surrounded by an annular depression in the abutmentand in which a tumbler is positioned, said depression being defined by awall having its inner face consisting of surfaces extending tangentiallyrelative to the central opening, said surfaces having tumbler-engagingshoulders at their ends, and the peripheral edge of the abutments havingnotches corresponding in number to the tangential surfaces.

5. In a lock, a rotative plug having a plurality of cylindricalabutments encircling it, tumblers slidable transversely through the plugand associated with the abutments, each abutment having a plurality ofequally-spaced notches in its periphery and each abutment having aplurality of shoulders for engagement by the tumblers, said shouldersbeing of various heights.

6. In a lock, an abutment in the form of a disk provided with spacednotches in its periphery, said abutment being of cup-shape andcontaining a tumbler, the abutment having a wall disposed round thetumbler, said wall having tangential surfaces and shoulders located atthe ends of such surfaces for engagement by the tumbler.

7. In a lock, a casing, a plug rotative in the same, the plug having akey slot extending axially in it, the plug having a plurality of spacedslots across the key slot, tumblers slidable through said slots, eachtumbler having a central aperture through which a key is extended whenit enters the key slot, and a channel-shaped guard fitted through thekey slot with its legs transverse to the movement of said tumblers toline a substantial part of the key slot and impede the insertion of atool through the key slot to reach upper edges of the apertures in thetumblers.

8. In a look as provided for in claim 7, wherein the guard is achannel-shaped metallic strip held in the key slot by the engagement ofpart of it with part of the key slot.

9. In a lock, a plug rotatable by key operation, the plug having aplurality of transverse slots extending through it, tumblers slidablethrough the slots, a key slot extending axially through the plug andcrossing said slots, and means fitted in the key slot and serving to atleast partially cover upper edge portions of the tumbler slots tothereby impede the passing of a lock pick upwardly through the slots toascertain tumbler positions.

10. In a lock as provided for in claim 9, wherein each tumbler isprovided with a central opening, the protective means being a channelstrip passing through said central opening, the channel strip permittingraising and lowering of the tumblers, the opening in the tumbler havingan upper edge contacting a portion of the channel strip when the tumbleris in a lowered position.

11. In a lock, a casing, a plug rotative therein, the plug havingtransverse slots, tumblers slidable through said slots, circularabutments arranged around the plug, each abutment having a wall disposedabout a tumbler, each wall having spaced shoulders forming selectivestops for its tumbler, said shoulders varying in height, the tumblersbeing rotatively adjustable relatively to the plug to enable them to bearranged with shoulders of one height disposed adjacent to sholders ofanother height on an adjacent abutment, the plug having a key slotpassing through the transverse tumbler slots and a guard piece extendingthrough the key slot and co-operating with the tumblers in closing off aportion of the key slot when at least one of the tumblers is in alowered position.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner3,143,875 8/ 1964 Wellekens 703 82 UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 1 /1965HQHgTfiIl 7 36 13;? Ilgloulson 1 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

oover et a 3/1919 King 5 BOBBY R. GAY, Exammer. V 2/ 1952 Feldmann.P.TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

6. IN A LOCK, AN ABUTMENT IN THE FORM OF A DISK PROVIDED WITH SPACEDNOTCHES IN ITS PERIPHERY, SAID ABUTMENT BEING OF CUP-SHAPE ANDCONTAINING A TUMBLER, THE ABUTMENT HAVING A WALL DISPOSED ROUND THETUMBLER, SAID WALL HAVING TANGENTIAL SURFACES AND SHOULDERS LOCATED ATTHE ENDS OF SUCH SURFACES FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE TUMBLER.